Text © World of Showjumping

Belgium’s Rik Hemeryck and Navarro van het Eelshof (Jappelloup vh Dauwhof x Poleander) won Thursday’s second five-star competition in the Grand Parquet's main arena at the 2026-edition of CSI5* Le Printemps des Sports Équestres in Fontainebleau, France.

With a time of 58.41 seconds, the Belgian duo took the top honours in the 1.50m Prix CWD ahead of the host nation’s Roger Yves Bost on Equine America Ballerine du Vilpion (Baloubet du Rouet x Quidam de Revel) in second in 60.11 and Kevin Staut aboard Kannonqulan (Kannan x Quantum) in third in 60.17.

João Victor Castro Aguiar Gomes de Lima (BRA) on Obama de La Liniere (Marius Claudius x Golden Hawk) finished fourth with a time of 60.36 seconds, followed by Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) on Vestmalle des Cotis (Baloubet du Rouet x Landor S) in fifth in 60.84.

"It's a good start to the competition,” Hemeryck said in a press release from Le Printemps des Sports Équestres. “We really tried to go flat out in this class and it worked. My horse has already won at this level in Stuttgart. He hadn't jumped on grass for over a year, but the ground here is really amazing and the horses feel very comfortable on it. Navarro will be having a rest tomorrow and be back in the arena on Saturday. The atmosphere here is just great. It's a CSI5*, but you also feel the excitement of the French Championships. All the French riders are here, supported by the spectators, and that adds to the atmosphere.”